


Who Are You when the glamour fades (Are you brave enough to just be)

by itsjustnoise



Category: (여자)아이들 | (G)I-DLE
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:48:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24458458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsjustnoise/pseuds/itsjustnoise
Summary: Spiderwoman is everything she wanted to be. Shuhua wonders if she'll ever be enough.
Relationships: Cho Miyeon/Yeh Shuhua, Jeon Soyeon/Seo Soojin, Song Yuqi/Minnie Nicha Yontararak
Comments: 10
Kudos: 144





	Who Are You when the glamour fades (Are you brave enough to just be)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zekewastaken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zekewastaken/gifts).



> This is a sequel to Zetamorphosis' story, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Shu! It's a cute and fluffy and all amazing read. Please check it out if you haven't already :)  
> I'm not that good at fluffy stories though so please be kind :')  
> Once again, stay safe and healthy!!

"Winter is coming," Yuqi muttered ominously as she hunched her shoulders and stared at her friends with the scariest gaze she could muster. 

Which was promptly ruined when she sneezed. Soyeon and Minnie burst into raucous laughter immediately as she rubbed miserably at her nose, shivering as the biting wind chose that moment to blow harshly though the common area. Shuhua smiled as she lounged on the couch adjacent to her loud friends, an open textbook in her lap. Their winter break was just around the corner and following that, their finals loomed like some foreboding dark shadow over all their heads. She had wanted to get some extra reading done before that, because even with her stellar grades, she needed to maintain her GPA to stay on the scholarship program. Oh the woes of being a poor exchange student. She was so caught up in her musings that she almost missed Soojin joining her on the couch. Shuhua blamed her for being such a good dancer, it was hard to hear her footsteps even with enhanced hearing. "What did I miss?" Soojin asks and raises an eyebrow when Minnie manages to choke out, "Winter is coming," before dissolving again into uncontrollable giggles. Shuhua watches Soojin roll her eyes before she sighs with all the exasperation of a long suffering third year. "Yuqi," Shuhua helpfully supplies and Soojin turns to flash her a wry smile. "I gathered. We're friends with a bunch of children, aren't we?" And they both burst into laughter while the other three shout indignantly in front of them. But Shuhua ignores them in favour of curling up into her favourite senior. 

Or second favourite. Because the doors to the common area open again and Cho Miyeon walks through them.

Shuhua barely resists the urge to dive behind the couch. Or under it. Wherever, she doesn't care, she just needed to get away. She swears the whole room falls silent when Miyeon walks by, arms linked with another fourth year. Shuhua only knew who Lisa Manoban is because they had gone to one of Soojin's performances and she might not know a single thing about dancing but damn could Lisa dance. She can't hear much of what they're saying, only Lisa giggling about something and Miyeon whining her name. 'They would look good together,', Shuhua thinks despondently as she flips another page of her textbook, chemical equations flying out of her mind's metaphorical window. Then Soojin was poking at her cheeks. "I can hear your negative thoughts." She murmurs as she continues tapping at her phone. "Are you still thinking about that night?" Shuhua huffs and chooses to say nothing, but with the way she almost rips the book when she flips the page, she might as well have been screaming yes. It's strangely silent and Shuhua looks up to meet four gazes with varying degrees of mischief dancing across their pupils. "Stop it." She growls and snaps the book shut, satisfied when they look away. "But seriously, it's been almost half a year since that kiss. Don't you think you should, I don't know, make your move?" Yuqi yelped and almost toppled backwards with how fast Shuhua had shot forward to clamp a hand over her mouth. "Be quiet, what if they hear you." She hissed, eyes wide and desperate. 

She remembers how her friends had found out she was Spiderwoman, and the fear that she felt then was making its grand reappearance as she glanced around the room to see if anyone else had heard their resident loudmouth.

Yuqi had been the first to find out that Shuhua and Spiderwoman were one and the same. The story was not as Sherlock Holmes-esque as the dramatic girl would always make it out to be. Shuhua thinks that accidentally seeing chemical formulas for web fluid and other notes about criminal activities in her notebook made the fact that she was Spiderwoman as obvious as Yuqi's crush on Minnie was. "But I understood it even though you were trying to hide it!" Yuqi would always argue and Shuhua would always smack her forehead and groan at her best friend. "It was written in Chinese, Yuqi. You're the only one here who understands Chinese." 

Minnie and Soyeon found out about her secret together. Soyeon had hatched an elaborate plan for Soojin's birthday and it involved a giant paper mache pirate ship pinata covered in too much red glitter. Shuhua had only known them for a semester but had been roped into helping them, courtesy of Yuqi. "Please, Shu," She had begged, red glitter falling from her hair, Shuhua wrinkled her nose because wow was the smell of glue strong in this household. "I know you don't know them well but we need all the help we can get." And freshman Shuhua had said yes. Till today, she doesn't know if she would count that as the best or worst decision in her life, but she blamed the fact that it was 2 am and she had a killer pop quiz that morning. Because when Minnie had accidentally knocked the boat off the table during one of their late night meetings, Shuhua didn't think, just shot out a web to catch the falling half-finished craft. It was only when the boat was safely in her hands did she look up and realise that both Soyeon and Minnie had froze and was staring at her with the widest eyes she had ever seen them make. "Holy shit you're Spi-!" "QUIET!" 

Soojin was the last and honestly, it had only taken that one interaction with Spiderwoman for Soojin to connect the dots. Shuhua had saved her from a mugging one night when she was on her way home from a midnight dance class (Following Miyeon home wasn't the only thing on her weekly schedule). She had casually asked about the bruise on Shuhua's jaw the next day over lunch and watched, amused, as Shuhua floundered around for a good excuse. It wasn't long before she gave up. "You know, don't you." Soojin hums and sips at her americano as she scans the table. Everyone was trying too hard not to meet her gaze. "Am I the last to know?" She had gasped, a hand over her heart as she pretended to be offended. And they watched with growing smiles as Soyeon attempted to placate her. But Shuhua only felt relief, she knew that her secret was safe with her friends.

She was not feeling that relief now, not when Minnie perks up from her chair and waves cheerily at someone behind them. 

She doesn't understand what Minnie was saying, she speaks too rapidly and too fluently for her to catch anything. But it's most certainly Thai. And her stomach turns in on itself when she hears Lisa chirp back a reply. "Please, please, please." She mumbles to whichever God that will hear her as Yuqi stares at someone over her shoulder with her eyes practically bulging out of their sockets. "Hey Miyeon," Minnie greets and she hears that same melodious voice she heard that night softly reply. "Minnie! It's good to see you." The world slows down around her as her muscles tense up, voices dulling into a flat hum. 'Spiderman would be flipping in his grave if he knew what I used my spider sense for', she thinks. Judging by how loud she was, Miyeon was probably by the edge of the couch, nearer to Soojin. So if she went back to her corner, and stayed there, Miyeon might just ignore her. Shuhua blinks again and the world goes back to normal. She catches 'Friday' and 'asshole professor' as the three fourth years complain about their shared lectures and she eases her way, comically slow, back into her old spot, head bowed the entire time. Soojin taps twice on her sneakers when she finally settles down and Shuhua allows a small smile to wriggle its way onto her face. When she had first came to Korea, she hadn't known many words. So her friends had created a way for them to speak without talking. One tap was to get her attention, or when they wanted her to concentrate on something. Three taps meant that she wanted something, usually food. And two taps was for the times Shuhua was in a panic or was afraid and they wanted her to calm down. Like now, as the conversation before her shifts into introductions.

Her stomach lurches queasily as she hears Minnie introducing Soyeon to her batchmates. 

And knowing her, Shuhua would be last. Which really didn't help her case in the slightest. Two taps. She doesn't dare to lift her head. Two taps and a hand on her knee. Shuhua stubbornly keeps her head down, eyes fixed on small words she doesn't really see. Two taps and the couch dipping as Soojin shifts closer to her side. Long, black hair falls over her face and spills onto the pages as she curls down even more. One tap. Shuhua blinks just as Minnie says, "And that's Shuhua, she's the youngest here." Shuhua can feel everyone's eyes on her, feels panic shooting up from her gut into her heart. What would Spiderwoman say in this moment, Shuhua really wished the confidence she had when masked and swinging from rooftops would make its much needed appearance now. But all that escapes from her suddenly too dry throat is a small squeak and she almost vaults out of the window in pure embarrassment, single digit temperatures be damned. Thankfully, Soojin laughs and easily slips an arm over her trembling shoulders. "Sorry, our little baby here can be a little shy sometimes. But it's nice to meet you guys too." And Shuhua nods so fast, her neck hurts, because God forbid Miyeon starts thinking that she's scared of them. Soyeon manages to catch her eye from behind her curtain of hair and nudges Minnie a little too hard. "Right, so these are my people. I'll see you tonight then, Miyeon?" Shuhua stays hunched and stock still as Miyeon hums in affirmation and all too soon, the seniors had left. 

Two taps. Two taps. Two taps. Breathe Shuhua. Breathe."You okay?" Soojin asks and Shuhua finally looks up, her neck stiff from staying in that uncomfortable position for so long. 

She meets four gazes again, concerned now, and nods timidly, pushing up her glasses that had slid down her nose bridge just for something to stop the shaking of her hands. "Thanks, Jinjin." She smiles, but it's wobbly and a far cry from her usual bright confident grin. And Soojin, ever the mother, bless her, just hugs her tighter and pats her cheek twice. "You'll find your courage eventually, Shu." Soyeon says as she squats down in front of her, Minnie and Yuqi nodding vigorously by her side. "Yeah, you're one of the bravest people we know. Who else dares to fight giants taller than Soyeon eonnie?" Yuqi says with a serious frown but her face splits into a cheshire cat grin when Soyeon turns to her with her fist raised, eyes promising pain. Minnie laughs and quickly slots herself between the two before any blood could be shed, one long arm wrapped around the second youngest of their group to pull Yuqi into her warm embrace. Yuqi instantly falls silent, cheeks a light pink that had nothing to do with the cold. "Ha!" Soyeon crows, "WHIP-Woah!" And she just avoids Yuqi breaking free of Minnie's grasp to launch herself at Soyeon, a scowl replacing her usual bubbly smile. "Guys!" Minnie says helplessly before giving up and joining Soojin and Shuhua on the couch. Shuhua finds herself squished in between two of her closest friends and giggles when Soyeon leaps over the table to avoid Yuqi's flailing arms. "Literal children." Soojin rolls her eyes and rubs at her temples but there is a barely there smile just tugging at the corner of her lips. Minnie giggles and snuggles into Shuhua as Soyeon sticks out her tongue at Yuqi from across the table. Nobody pays them any mind, already used to this group of girls causing a ruckus in the common area but Soojin still puts down her phone. "Jeon Soyeon." She drawls and anyone would have been amazed by how quickly Jeon 'I answer to nobody' Soyeon froze to meekly make her way back to her seat. "Who is the whipped one now!" Yuqi exclaims with all the triumph of a victorious king. "Yuqi, don't tease your eonnie." Minnie admonishes and Shuhua watches her best friend blush a cherry red. "Whipped," she deadpans to nobody in particular but her eyes are twinkling when they turn to her. 

Shuhua yawns for the fifth time that night as she finishes up her homework for the week.

Winter break had finally started and this chilly night found her at her desk, hunched over her laptop as she edited the final paragraph of her paper. Yuqi sniffles from behind her and Shuhua spins around to see her best friend wrapped like an adorable burrito in her blanket. As an act of goodwill, Shuhua had given up her blanket for Yuqi as well, she never did well in the cold. "I hate that you are so unaffected by this. How are you fine? It's like -40 degrees!" Yuqi bites out and Shuhua smiles tiredly as she stands up to stretch, pulling her glasses from her face. She actually had perfect vision, but the Yeh Shuhua before being bitten by a radioactive spider had horrible eyesight and was used to having thick black spectacles sitting on her nose bridge. "Spider powers, woman. And don't be dramatic, it's only 10 degrees outside." Yuqi huffs and buries herself deeper into her blanket nest, haughty voice muffled under the cotton. "I'll be as dramatic as I want to be. Are you still going out?" Shuhua sighs as she pulls her suit out from under her bed. "Gotta make sure the streets are really empty." Yuqi clicks her tongue and Shuhua disappears into their toilet to change. Broke university students like the both of them didn't have the luxury of going back for the holidays, Shuhua hadn't wanted her parents to waste their hard-earned money on her. So they had hunkered down in their dormitory room with enough snacks and hot chocolate to feed an entire army. Which was fine by Shuhua really, because Soojin eonnie and Soyeon eonnie and Minnie eonnie were all still in Korea as well and she had grown quite attached to this part of Seoul she had been protecting. "I promise I won't get hurt. Don't wait up." She says as she throws open the window without warning and Yuqi pokes her hand out of the blankets to flip her off. "Whatever, see you when you get back."

The streets were silent and Shuhua is unbelievably thankful that the frigid temperatures were keeping the crime rate low at the very least.

She returns back to her dorm room, satisfied after two hours of patrol and sees Yuqi on the phone. Shuhua can't quite make out the crackling voice through the speakers but the light pink hue dusting Yuqi's cheeks tells her enough. "Hi Minnie eonnie!" She shouts as she flops down beside her best friend. "-ey Shu!" Minnie's adorable voice greets her through the phone and Shuhua shoots a shit eating grin in Yuqi's direction when she sighs dreamily. Whipped, the younger girl mouths with both eyebrows raised and laughs when Yuqi flushes a dark red. "What's so funny?" Minnie asks and Yuqi blushes even more. "Nothing, good night, see you tomorrow!" She quickly says and ends the call, cutting Minnie off. Like any best friend, Shuhua almost started teasing her about how the usually extroverted and confident Yuqi had behaved like a school girl with her first crush. Almost, because there was something more important that caught her attention. "You're meeting Minnie eonnie tomorrow? Without us?" She asks and wriggles her eyebrows, ever the annoying younger sister. Yuqi just shoves her away and dives back under her covers but Shuhua sees the blush darken anyway. "It's nothing, she just wants to meet for dinner." Shuhua hears her muffled whine and bursts out into happy laughter. "Oh, you mean a date? I heard you loud and clear the first time." She teases and goes to change out of the suit because even with her immunity to the cold, winter is still a bitch and her toes are freezing. When she exited the toilet, Yuqi had emerged from her blankets and was staring blankly at her phone. "You'll be fine, don't worry so much." Yuqi turns puppy eyes to her and motions for Shuhua to join her on her bed. "But what if I read this all wrong and Minnie eonnie just wants to be friends?" Shuhua sighs as she squeezes into the space next to Yuqi and lets her rest her head on her shoulders. "Then we all would have read this wrong and we spend Minnie eonnie's last year with us like awkward potatoes on eggshells.” Yuqi makes a noise that sounds very much like a strangled chicken and Shuhua reaches over to flick her forehead. "Ow!" "But since we are all sure that Minnie eonnie loves you very much as well, she will probably confess to you with that matcha christmas cake you have been begging us to buy for you and maybe GongCha, since you drink that like every waking moment of your life." Yuqi sighs and finds her hands, squeezing it gratefully. "Thanks, you annoying little spider."

The next time school reopens, finals pretty much takes up all of their time, and Shuhua doesn't get to see her friends as much as she would have liked.

"I miss Soojin eonnie." Shuhua complains with her hand over her eyes. With her 'parents' busy with studying for their papers, that often left only Minnie, Yuqi and her to meet in the common area. And with Minnie and Yuqi finally (read: finally, Shuhua remembers jumping around with Yuqi when she had gotten home from her 'not' date with Minnie) getting together over Christmas (“She bought me that matcha cake and GongCha,Shu. How did I get so lucky?), Shuhua was left to be the pitiful third wheel that witnessed all the gross sappy couple things that she would rather her young, virgin eyes never see. "Guys, please we are in the common area. Could you keep your PDA to a minimum? If not for the general public, at least do it for your suffering friend?" Minnie presses one last kiss to Yuqi's cheeks and flashes an apologetic smile in Shuhua's direction. "Sorry Shu." "Are you really, eonnie?" Shuhua drawls and rolls her eyes when Yuqi clutches Minnie's hands in hers and throws her head back, ever the drama queen. "She's becoming Soojin eonnie. Woe to us all!" Minnie giggles and hugs Yuqi tighter and really, Shuhua might always act all disgusted and complain about how the affection they show would give her diabetes one of these days but there was not a person who was as happy for her friends as Yeh Shuhua was. But then the door swings open and that bubble of joy in her chest pops like a sad balloon. Shuhua watches as Miyeon scans the room for a familiar face and drops her gaze when she starts walking over. “Hey, Miyeon!” Minnie greets after a quick glance in Shuhua’s direction. “Minnie, that test was horrible.” Miyeon groaned as she rubbed her eyes. And then she notices Yuqi, awkwardly perched in Minnie’s arms, and Shuhua, curled up in the corner and almost becoming one with the couch. “Hey Yuqi, Shuhua!” She greets as brightly as she can with exhaustion prickling at the corner of her eyes. Yuqi waves back and Shuhua just stays as still as she can. “Don’t mind her, Shuhua’s just honing her camouflaging skills.” Yuqi had scoffed when Miyeon turned sad but confused eyes to the new couple. And Shuhua had the retort sitting on the very tip of her tongue but swallowed it down for the sake of her sanity. That was slowly slipping away with every breathless laugh Miyeon made from her spot by the couch. Tap, tap. Tap, tap. Tap,ta- Nope. Shuhua shoots up so suddenly, the three girls fall silent. “Sorry,” She mumbles to her shoes, hands reaching up to push at her spectacles. “Something to do at the dorm. See you later.” And in her haste to get away, she tripped over a dip on the floor. It was only her reflexes as Spiderwoman that saved her from the embarrassment of the century. Shuhua swallows, carefully walks to the door, steps through it and as soon as it swings shut behind her, takes off like a bat out of hell. (Or a spider getting chased with a broomstick, but you get the gist.) She misses the conversation that takes place when she leaves but honestly, if she had heard it, the cold would be the last thing Yuqi had to worry about when she got back from the common area. 

“Does Shuhua hate me?”  
“Oh no, she doesn’t hate you at all. Quite the opposite really.”  
“Babe, I love you. But if Shuhua really comes for your blood, I don’t think I can protect you.”

After that incident, Shuhua avoids Miyeon like the plague. She only dares to talk to her as Spiderwoman.

"Will you tell me who you are today?" Miyeon asks her one night when she had spotted Shuhua perched on a street lamp a little ways from the club. Shuhua raises an eyebrow as she swings through the streets with Miyeon in her arms. "You're very persistent, aren't you?" Miyeon giggles and hides her face into Shuhua's neck, the Taiwanese girl mirroring the smile she feels pressed into the skin. On some nights, when her spider sense was all but screaming ‘DANGER’ at her, Shuhua had always picked Miyeon up from the club and carried her home. Yuqi had frowned and warned her not to play favourites, because you never knew who was watching but Shuhua had brushed her aside. "I'm sure nobody's around when I find her. Don't worry." But back to the situation at hand. Miyeon clings tighter to her and laughs. “Well, I can't help but be curious about the identity of my private chauffeur.” Shuhua pretends to be mad and threatens to drop Miyeon onto the nearest rooftop. “A chauffeur? Is that all I am to you? I’m hurt!” Their laughter is swept up into the late night currents, this is the happiest Shuhua has ever felt in the longest time, as she flies through the air with her long time crush in her arms. They reach Miyeon’s apartment and Shuhua drops her off at the same street lamp all those nights ago. “Well, see you when I see you.” She grins and gives a two-fingered salute, upside down because that was their thing now. Miyeon smiles and steps forward to press a kiss onto Shuhua’s cheek. “Thank you.” She whispers, voice like warm honey and eyes sparkling brighter than all the stars in the sky. Shuhua springs back up to the top of her street lamp, all ready to return to patrolling the streets when Miyeon calls her again. “Yeah?” She drops down in front of Miyeon again, head cocked adorably to one side. There’s a light red blush dusting the high points of Miyeon’s cheeks and Shuhua really wants to kiss it away. ‘Tap’, she hears. Right, Miyeon eonnie is talking, I should focus. “After your patrol, would you mind coming in for a cup of coffee?” What the actual fuck, Yeh Shuhua. Yes, she wants to shout. Of course, I would love to. But the voice in her head tuts at her, “You should listen to your best friend, little spider.” Don’t play favourites. And Shuhua grins apologetically as she rejects the offer. She pretends she doesn’t see the way the light in Miyeon’s eyes dim a little and apologises again, feeling like a horrible jerk. But as she swings away, she resolves to keep a closer eye on Miyeon. Her spider sense had never been wrong before, she doubts it would start being wrong now.

So just like that night all those months ago, Shuhua trails just behind Miyeon on the edge of the rooftops.

She smiles when Miyeon skips the turn into the alley that she almost got kidnapped in and continues down the street. But she should have known better, Miyeon always attracted trouble like moths to the brightest street lamp in the vicinity. She barely took two steps from the corner when suddenly a gang of masked men leaped out from the darkness. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." Shuhua swore under her breath as one of them grabbed Miyeon in an iron grip, squeezing her neck when she started struggling. And the fear that filled Shuhua's throat almost caused her to slip on familiar metal, these weren't the petty thugs that attacked her the last time. Shuhua recognises the leader from a slashing incident a month ago. Her blood boiled when she remembered the previous victim, a girl from her campus, now with a large scar across her chest and a forever fear of the dark. She had almost been too late. "I think we've got a pretty one, boss." The thug sneered and that's more than enough for Shuhua to move.

She lands soundlessly behind them and feels her muscles tense when one of the lackeys spots her.

"Boss, it's her." He warns, his voice already grating on Shuhua's nerves. And the maniacal smile that the leader greets her with sends shivers down Shuhua's spine. 'Be careful little spider, this one is different.' The voice in her head warns her and Shuhua exhales the trepidation she feels in her chest. The tears in Miyeon's eyes catch the orange of the street lamp and it takes everything in Shuhua not to fly towards them to rip Miyeon from his rough grasp. "Nice to see you again, vermin." The leader spits and Shuhua matches his grin as she cracks her knuckles. "Can't say the same for you." She laughs, hands curling into tight fists, her nails drawing blood. "Well, I would stay to chat but," His eyes shift to the back of the group, where Miyeon was trapped. "I'd rather escape with my spoils. Ah!" He raises his knife when Shuhua readies to jump forward. "I wouldn't. Not unless you want her to get hurt." And dread is all Shuhua feels when the burly lackey barks out raspy laughter and raises Miyeon's shirt just a little. Miyeon doesn't scream now, not with a large hand still wrapped around her throat. But Shuhua can clearly see the panic and fear that flashed across her eyes. "Now, goodbye vermin. I won't be seeing you so soon." He disappears with Miyeon and the thug holding her as the rest of his men suddenly swarm her. Shuhua blocks out all the jeers and crouches down as everything slows, eyes squeezed shut, mind carefully blank with nothing but Miyeon. 

And when she opens her eyes again, all she sees is RED.

She flies forward and the first jaw that her fist connects with shatters with a resounding crunch upon impact. Again. She drops down and kicks out with both feet, catching shins, hearing more bones splintering as she growls. Again. The next swing catches her by surprise but she ducks at the last minute and slams a palm into the thug's nose, striking the same spot again when he stumbles back. Again. She shoots out a web, wraps it around the falling thug and pulls, smashing him head first into another thug and laughing when the both of them sink down, knock out cold. Finally, she looks at the remaining three thugs, and grins devilishly as they stare, wide eyed and fearful, at their fellows screaming in pain on the asphalt. "Police will be here soon, now's your chance." She warns and predictably the three of them turn and scamper off, tails between their legs. Shuhua looks down at the groaning men and quickly surrounds them with webs and sticks them to the wall. A sudden sting from her arm has her looking down and she realises that one of the men had gotten a lucky shot during the fight, her arm had been slashed open and was oozing blood. 'No time, little spider. Head north.' She hears and grits her teeth, using her webbing to staunch the bleeding as she shoots up into the sky again, only one thing on her mind. Miyeon eonnie.

She finally sees them, the heavy footfalls from the burly lackey almost as loud as gunshots in her ears.

And the grin that falls from the leader's face when she drops in front of them to cut them off almost makes her smile. Almost. Because Miyeon was still in danger and Shuhua was out for blood. "Wasn't expecting you so soon, vermin." He frowns as he scratches his head with his knife and all Shuhua wants to do is rip his throat out. "Well, expect the unexpected asshole." She spits instead and watches as anger clouds his face. "Give her to me." He hisses and grabs Miyeon, pressing the grimy knife to her throat when she struggles, flashing a smile with all his teeth when Miyeon gasps in fear. "Take care of her." He orders and pulls Miyeon off into another alley hidden in the darkness. The burly lackey roars and charges straight for her but Shuhua was done playing. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, am I right? And Shuhua doesn't even wince at the crunch that lackey's head makes when he hits the concrete ground, resounding throughout the darkness, feet, arms and eyes encased by sticky webbing. Miyeon eonnie. Shuhua was getting desperate now, panic rearing its ugly head in her chest but the voice in her head hushes her. 'Tap, tap.' She hears and runs into the darkened alley. 'Tap, tap.'

She shoots her webs straight at the leader as soon as she nears and watches as he screams and flounders before falling.

He dragged Miyeon down with him and his knife had nicked at her cheek. And unfortunately for him, Shuhua saw it. Miyeon eonnie. Red. Shuhua roars and springs forward, yanking Miyeon away and grinning when her fist smashes into his temple. Again. Another punch into his nose. Again. Another into his temple. Again. Again. Again. Agai- "Stop!" Someone screamed and Shuhua was tugged back into trembling arms. Miyeon eonnie. She sighs as she sags against thin arms, the adrenaline wearing off as she slowly takes in her surroundings. Miyeon eonnie. "Miyeon eonnie!" She all but gasps as she flips around, a bloodied hand cradling her bleeding cheek. "Are you okay, did they hurt you?" But Miyeon just shakes her head, tears spilling onto pale cheeks as she places a hand over Shuhua's and oh wow, everything was starting to hurt really badly. Shuhua blows out a pained breath when Miyeon moves nearer and even though she is a little dizzy from blood loss, Miyeon still looks like an angel from heaven. "I'm fine. They didn't hurt me much. But you..." And Shuhua bites down hard on her lips to remember to breathe. "I..." The world was spinning a little faster now. "I need to get you home." She exhales and stands up but Miyeon shakes her head again. "Are you crazy, you're hurt. I can get home on my own."  
"No." One tap. Inhale.  
"I need." One tap. Inhale.  
"To get you." One tap. Inhale.  
"Home." One tap. Inhale.  
"Safe."  
Shuhua swallows and offers Miyeon her uninjured hand. "Please." If not for you, at least for me, she doesn't dare say. Panic and fear, Shuhua's best friends in the dark, had started their whispering and she already missed the voice that she always heard when she was Spiderwoman. "Thank you," Miyeon whispers into her ear as she drops down to the pavement, stumbling a little, movements sloppy. The voices only quietened when she watched Miyeon safely enter her building and disappeared completely when the light in the fourth floor balcony flicked on. She doesn't know how she made it home but the last thing she remembers was Yuqi's horrified scream when she fell through the window, exhaustion finally catching up to her. 

Shuhua spends the next few days out of school, confined to her bed, one of her friends always by her bedside when she opens her eyes. 

"I'm not on my deathbed guys. You don't have to stay here all the time." Shuhua says when finally, the five of them were all together, cramped in the two bedroom space of their dormitory. Everyone stares at her and Yuqi throws down her books, Shuhua shrinking back as her best friend's eyes flashed. "Not on your deathbed? Do you want me to show you how you looked like when you fell through the window?" And Minnie places a gentle hand on Yuqi's shoulder, but Shuhua watches how the tenseness in her best friend's shoulders doesn't quite disappear. "Yuqi called me sobbing, Shu. I think it would be good if we babied you a little longer." And Shuhua feels her stomach turn when Yuqi turns away from her a little too late, she already saw the tears. "Sorry." She whispers, flexing her fingers and feeling the healing skin stretch uncomfortably across her knuckles. She had broken her promise and the guilt that gnawed away at her heart was killing her. "We're not angry, Shu." Soyeon taps her knee from where she is perched at the foot of Shuhua's bed, needle and thread moving as she sews up the fabric of Shuhua's torn costume. "Just worried. What happened anyway?" Shuhua purses her lips and meets all their curious gazes, even Yuqi's watery one. Soojin pats her head twice and Shuhua takes a deep breath. "Well, I was following Miyeon back from the clubs again."

Shuhua supposes she had to be thankful that it was spring at least, so wearing long sleeves didn't make her feel like she was in a sauna.

But it was still hot, humid, and the skin under her bandages itched like crazy below the layers. Minnie updates her about Miyeon from time to time, and Shuhua smiled when she said that Miyeon had sworn off clubbing late into the night forever. "That's great." "Right. But she says her friday nights are boring now so..." When Minnie trails off, Shuhua just knows she's not going to like what comes next. "I invited her for movie night, I'm sorry." And Shuhua wants so badly to scream but she's a considerate fellow student, so she opts to close her eyes and exhale heavily out through her nose, banging the back of her head into the couch when she falls back. Yuqi chuckles from where she was snuggled up in Minnie's arms. "Are you really sorry though, babe?" Minnie grins as she leans over to drop a quick kiss onto Yuqi's nose and Shuhua pretends to gag but there's this feeling of deja vu that makes her smile. "Maybe? But it's okay Shu. You can stay as far as possible from her as you want. We'll make sure of it." There was no way out now, Shuhua realised, only through. "Well, what could go wrong?" She nervously says as Yuqi and Minnie share a relieved look.

Everything, apparently and the night had barely started.

The only saving grace for her was how Soojin had tucked her into her side as soon as she had arrived, letting her injured arm rest on the arm of the couch. But Miyeon was leaning on the couch by her legs and Shuhua was literally vibrating with how close she was to her. As soon as the movie ended, Shuhua had all but scampered into the kitchen, desperate for a water break because her throat had been as dry as the goddamn desert throughout the whole movie. She pulls open the fridge's door and purses her lips as she looks at her options, finger drumming across her injured arm. It was healing nicely, Shuhua was certain that she could go back to patrolling the streets in a week. She just needed to be careful not to pull at the skin that was slowly stitching itself together. She had moaned to Yuqi once, about how she wished she could heal as fast as the Wolverine. "He survived bullet wounds, Yuqi. I wish I could survive bullets." And Yuqi had smacked her across the back of her head with a dictionary, lips twisted into an angry frown as Shuhua shouted in pain. "Don't ever get shot, you fool." She hissed and Shuhua had nodded, too surprised to say anything else. But right, drinks. "The lemonade's good." Someone says from beside her ear and Shuhua bangs her head into the top shelf of the fridge in shock. Where's her spider sense when she needed it the most? She moves back, a hand over her head and a miserable expression on her face. Miyeon stares back at her, apologies on the tip of her tongue. "Am fine." She manages to say and all but flees from the kitchen and into the arms of Soojin. "What's wrong?" "Miyeon eonnie's in the kitchen." And she sees how Soyeon fought the urge to smile as Soojin looks away. "I'm never trusting you guys again." She pouts and closes her eyes as the next movie starts.

When Shuhua wakes up, the apartment was quiet and someone had thrown a blanket over her.

Yuqi and Minnie were nowhere to be found, Shuhua guesses that since they were dating now, Yuqi was sharing Minnie's queen size bed. She doesn't hear Soojin and Soyeon either. Soyeon snores sometimes so the silence was a dead giveaway and Soojin was never far from where Soyeon was. They must have returned back to their apartment when movie night ended. Which leaves Miyeon. Shuhua knows Minnie had one guest room, she and Yuqi used to share the bed when they had both been single. Not anymore, the voice helpfully supplies. Shut up, she thinks and gets up from the couch to make her way to the kitchen. She's enjoying her cup of water when a door clicks open behind her and Shuhua turns around to watch Miyeon appear at the doorway of the kitchen. Miyeon almost screams and Shuhua doesn't blame her. She supposes that with her long black hair and too pale skin and how she was sitting in total darkness, she could scare anybody. She forgets that normal humans usually can't see as well in the dark. "Shuhua?" She hums and sees Miyeon's hand fall from her mouth. "How can you see?" Miyeon huffs and feels blindly around for the light switch. "To your left, eonnie." Shuhua smiles and when Miyeon finally finds the button and floods the kitchen with light, she remembers to drop her head. Miyeon joins her by the sink, space between them that Shuhua very desperately wants to close. "Sorry about just now." She apologies and Shuhua shrugs. "It's fine, it doesn't hurt anymore anyway." Silence falls over them again and Shuhua sips slowly at her water. "Do you guys often stay over after movie night?" Shuhua nods. "Sometimes we all do. But I guess Soojin and Soyeon eonnie wanted to go home." She waits a beat before returning with a question of her own. "Why did you choose to stay?" "Ah, it's a little embarrassing but I'm kind of scared to walk back home alone at night." And Shuhua feels all the anger she felt that night resurface. "If someone walked with you, would you still be scared?" Miyeon laughs and Shuhua thinks that it sounds a little like cracked wind chimes, broken but still beautiful. "Someone used to, but lately I don't see her around anymore."

Shuhua hums, her hand moving to scratch at the bandage. She blames what happens next on how Miyeon always makes her forget herself.

"What happened to your arm?" Shit. "I fell. Down the stairs." "Down the stairs?" "Down the stairs." "Must be a long flight of stairs." Shuhua laughs nervously, hands moving up to her nose bridge to poke at glasses that weren't there. Her hand flaps around uselessly before coming to curl around her cup, grip so hard she fears the ceramic might crack. "Where are your glasses?" Oh hell come for me now. "Er...Contacts." "Really?" And suddenly, Miyeon's right in front of her and crowding into her personal space. Shuhua couldn't breathe, not with how close Miyeon's lips were to hers. 'You've kissed those lips before, little spider', she hears the voice whisper teasingly and wants so badly to slap it all the way into her next life. "You're not wearing any!" Miyeon accuses her when she pulls back and Shuhua realises with a sinking feeling in her stomach that this is probably the first time Miyeon has gotten a good look at her face. "Wait a minute..." Her eyebrows furrow as cool, slender fingers reach up to trace thin lips before moving to run over prominent cheekbones. I am so fucked, Shuhua thinks and freezes when she practically sees how the metaphorical lightbulb flashes over Miyeon's head. "You're Spiderwoman!" Miyeon exclaims and Shuhua almost drops her cup. Thank God for sticky hands really but that was the last problem on her mind. "No, no. I'm not. You must be mistaken."

Shuhua knows it's hurt that flashes across Miyeon's hazel eyes and feels horrible when she sees how Miyeon instantly pulls back.

"You're not Spiderwoman?" "I'm not." "Do you honestly think that I'm an idiot?" Way to go, Yeh Shuhua, ruining things as usual. "I don't! I'm really not her!" Shuhua protests but she can't quite meet Miyeon's sharp gaze. "Look at me and try again." She gulps and forces herself to meet fiery brown, her own eyes trembling so much, Shuhua just feels like a big, fat coward. "I-I'm not!" Miyeon sighs and her tone softens. "Why won't you admit it? Is it because you're scared I'll be disappointed?" A gentle breeze blows through the apartment from the open window behind them and Shuhua briefly contemplates jumping through it as a quick escape. Nevermind that Minnie's apartment was on the eighth floor, she'll be fine even with one arm out of commission. But Miyeon's looks so kind and vulnerable and Shuhua feels all her walls crumble with a booming crash. "I'm not cool like Spiderwoman is, I can't even walk across the common area without tripping once! It's easier to hide behind the mask since nobody knows who I am, I can be whoever I want to be." Shuhua takes a deep breath and wills herself not to cry here. Miyeon probably already thinks that she was a coward and a liar, she did not need to add crybaby to the growing list. Her voice shakes terribly when she says, "I'm sorry Spiderwoman isn't who you think she is." I’m sorry I can’t be enough for you.

Miyeon doesn't say anything at first and Shuhua feels herself slipping further down into her pool of negative thoughts.

"Well," Miyeon begins and Shuhua tenses up, escaping through the window really seemed like the best course of action right now. "How do you think I imagine Spiderwoman to be?" Shuhua wants so badly to laugh but she decides to humour Miyeon one last time. "Someone cool and charismatic. Strong, brave and fearless. Someone who sweeps in to sweep pretty girls like you off their feet." Miyeon hums and scratches the scar on her pinking cheek. "You're not wrong. And what do you think I think about you?" What was this, revenge for lying to her? Because if it was, Shuhua really wants to jump out the window. "The opposite of everything I just said." "Wrong!" Miyeon grins and Shuhua stumbles back when she's suddenly in front of her again, face too close for comfort. "I think Shuhua is cool and charismatic and strong and brave and fearless. And she might not be able to sweep pretty girls off their feet like Spiderwoman can, but she doesn't need to be to sweep me off mine." Shuhua laughs sadly and rubs at her bandage with unseeing eyes, she doesn't see how Miyeon's eyes follow her hand, her skin still pale and pink from where it had split open. She remembers the surprise she had felt when she had seen the unbridled rage from the usually calm and composed webslinger that night, all for her. So this was why. "You really are an angel, Miyeon eonnie." Shuhua smiles ruefully. "You don't have to make me feel better and I'll stay out of your way from now on. I only ask that you keep this a secret from everyone else. Only the five of them know my secret, so you're the sixth. I'm really sorry for lying to you but-!"

Shuhua's aware that she tends to ramble when she's nervous, each of her friends have their own way of stopping her when she starts going off on a tangent.

But none of them had ever stopped her speeding thoughts like this before. Not with a kiss. Miyeon's lips are as soft as she remembers. And it is barely there but she still tastes like raspberry chapstick. And the way she cups gentle fingers around her jaw to press her lips harder into Shuhua’s just brings her all the way back to the first night she saved her. And when Miyeon bites her bottom lip and pulls away, the giddy way Shuhua chases her lips elicit a soft giggle in response. "You've been waiting some time for that huh?" She teases and watches as Shuhua's face turns beet red, the girl suddenly finding her feet to be the most interesting thing in the world. "Shuhua, do you believe me now?" Miyeon asks as she tilts her head up to stare into midnight black. "When I say you're just as cool as Spiderwoman is?" Shuhua squeaks and Miyeon rubs their noses together. "Yes or no?" And Shuhua just nods because really, you can't expect her to function properly after that. When the very personification of beauty just kissed her, Cho Miyeon herself, God's gift to mankind, the most beautiful person to grace her existence, the campus IT Girl, Aphorodite's daughter, the wonderful, the great, the- "Okay, I get it, please stop." And Shuhua slams her uninjured hand over her mouth because apparently she had no more control over her mouth. Miyeon's cheeks are this rosy hue that matches hers and all Spiderwoman wants to do is kiss it away. But Shuhua squeaks again and steps into Miyeon's arms to hide her face in her neck. But that's okay, there will be time for her to find her courage tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. Because Shuhua might never be as confident or cool as Spiderwoman ever was but Miyeon loved her anyway. And honestly, that was enough.


End file.
